i am too busy to blog.

wedding everything has taken over each area of my life - including sleep, work, afterwork, everything.  it's exhausting - it makes eloping seem like such a great option.  but not really, because i love the people who will be at my wedding and i want them to see me.  well, they can keep their eyes closed til i get down the isle, but other than that, yes i'm excited.

but just know that my momentary - aka last month - break from blogging is due in large part to wedding chaos.  twine or ribbon?  what size mason jars?  what if it rains?  who's coming to this?  what time does make up start?  do you want your picture framed or hanging?  what size table?  how long's the processional?  what if we fall into the lake?

you get the idea.  i'm ready for the day needless to say.  i will blog when i get back from this life altering event.  but for now, check this out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJC0FfqRkm4

a wedding dream

i dream a lot.  i dream every night, and i generally remember my dreams the next day too. 

the other day i was telling jonathan about my dreams lately - they range on anything from us forgetting our marriage license, to feeling anxious while walking down the isle, to 100 page to do lists.  after i told jonathan about these dreams, he says "oh i had a dream the other night."  dreams are a little more few and far between for him.  so here's his dream...he was walking through the farm land at his grandmas house, and he saw a little baby pig.  so he picked the pig up and held it in his arm.  then he saw a mama pig, and so he picked it up and held it in his other arm.  the end.

you have to know jonathan and me to know why this is funny.  i asked him if this is about what his brain is working like during the day.  he said yes.  

so back to my dreams.  last night i had a dream.  it was very very detailed.  and it was about my wedding.  it's one of those dreams that brides do not want to have 2 weeks and 6 days before their wedding.  especially when it seems so thoroughly real.  

basically everything went wrong that possibly could've.  to start with i forgot my bra and earrings.  so my dress was falling down, and i wore a pair of studs that i found in my purse when we were already at the wedding site.

 

next, as i was walking down the isle my hair fell down.  just a piece in the back, kind of like a rat tail look.  really cute.

 

next as i walked down the isle i was under the quick realization that we never had a rehearsal.  we never practiced what we were doing.  so we had no idea what to do.  and that was evident.  the pastor had to tell us where to stand as we got down. 

oh speaking of a pastor.  yes it wasn't the pastor that is supposed to marry us.  it was an old man with a long white beard.  then half way through, he decided he was done with the ceremony, and he called in his back up priests.  they were straight gangsters who wore yellow pants with graffiti all over them, and red shirts.  during the pastor switch off they forgot to have us say our vows.  big part of a wedding ceremony.  if you think i'm making this up i'm not.  this is why it was scary and i woke up sweating.  when i asked why our pastor didn't come, we were told because he was at church.  i was a little perturbed - couldn't he miss ONE sunday for our wedding?

then the reception.  after talking with a few pals and going and finding a bra to put on in my car, i decided it was time for my bridal party's grand entrance.  only problem, i couldn't find anyone in my bridal party because they were already at the reception.  so i tried to sneak into the reception (with  my honkin huge dress) and retrieve my bridal party to make our entrance.  turns out i was a large disruption to the party, because everyone was playing bingo and kept "sh-shing" me as i walked through asking for my bridal party.

so all in all it was a great disaster.  i woke up very relieved that didn't just happen.  i hope you all enjoy this.  i didn't.  have a great monday!

something i've been thinking about

i think a lot of time i allow myself to sin in being very legalistic.  wow that's a bit of a bold statement.  but that's the truth.  i'm one to compare myself.  i'm one to not run a red light when there are no cars coming, the light is stuck for literally 7 minutes, and it's annoying - because i could get in trouble if i did it.  it can cross over to my spiritual life, and that's where it gets sinny - yes i just said sinny - sinful i suppose would be a better word.  the positive at least is that i recognize this about myself, and i can bring that to God and deal with it there.

however, something's been on my mind related to my quiet times.  i guess i always feel guilty or bad if my devotions don't come first (literally, as in time of day first).  if it's not a devotion first thing in the morning, if it's not first thing when i come home, if i'm reading a book during the day rather than reading my Bible.  if i'm on the computer doing useless things during the day and not devotions.  all of these things really tap my brain a lot.  i've felt guilty for doing my devotions or quiet times with God at night.  

but i've been praying about this a lot, and i've really come to realize something.  God does not dictate when i need to stop and read the Word.  i am to be with Him throughout the whole day - whether i'm working, whether i'm at the grocery store, whether i'm exercising, whether im babysitting - whatever i'm doing i'm with Him all day.  

back to my devotions.  i generally do them at night.  the last thing before i go to bed.   and i've had bad thoughts towards that sometimes, but i've come to realize that that time is sweet.  it's sweet with me and God.  i'm not one to fall asleep in 2 seconds.  i'm not a hard sleeper.  i'm not one to just lay down and all things in my mind drift away.  i'm not that way at all.

so at night.  after i've washed my face, brushed my teeth, ran like a nut all day long, done wedding planning, relaxed, messed on the computer, hung with friends, etc.  i can actually stop.  stop completely.  when everyone's asleep.  there isn't noise.  and it's really just me and God.  in the still.  and i've come to accept that that time is sweet, and that's when my dates with the Lord are.  and i'm praising God for that today - not feeling guilty that i don't start my day off in devotions.  so go spend time with God.  whenever it is, it's special.  and it's your time with Him. 

a song for you for tuesday tunes

i walked with coworkers today so i didn't get to listen to my music, but i got to listen to them so that's good too.

this afternoon by about 1:00 i had only gotten through half of one song on pandora.  that means one thing.  the day has been busy and focused or running everywhere.  that's really not too bad of a thing, because i can't stand sitting stationary for long periods of time.

that song was "just my imagination" and it's oh so good...especially the part that says "soon we'll be married and raise a family."  i send those lyrics in a text to jonathan - to give him baby fever.  after all we become baby makin eligible on april 16th - just kidding y'all -but not - sorry.

but anyways, then a grand song came on and i love it.  and it's downloading in my itunes right now.  and you should listen to it too.  if you love someone it's really just a nice thought.  so enjoy.

drew and ellie holcomb - anywhere but here

today has been awesome.

i will post about date night last night another time.  because i have pictures.  and i'm wayy to lazy to go upstairs and get the camera.  so i'll save that post.

but today was great.  my brothers and nieces came over for the day, and it was all around just relaxing and fun.  this morning dad and i went out in the woods to cut down some grapevine for the wedding.  and it was just a good time.  it was peaceful and warm and fun to just be outside in shorts and a tshirt with dad.  i loved that.

then we came back up and helped set up a table and chairs outside for a picnic with my nieces.  mom made some awesome dip and sandwiches and we just sat, and laughed.

tonight we had pizza with the girls, gave them baths, and i painted kine's toenails.  it's amazing how much joy i get from those girls.  God is so good.

so this post relates to no one else, but me, but i thought i'd document the day.  a fun time for sure.

oh...let me leave you with this.

last night - spoiler alert- i went to sunny skies to get ice cream with jonathan, my brother, and my nieces.  justin was talking about how campbell doesn't do well with lactose and it makes her tummy hurt.  then caroline looked over and said:

"daddy is that me or campbell.  is that me or campbell that ate black toes?"

this is why i love them.  goodnight.

a new addition, or six, to our family

jonathan has started his new job, and he absolutely loves it.  part of his day usually includes stoppin by tractor supply with his coworkers.  during these trips to the tractor supply jonathan has decided we needed an addition, or six, to our family.  

so we dropped by tractor supply last night.  i was pretty excited.  i forgot my camera, otherwise i'd post pictures of this monumental day.

so what did we get?   

you guessed it.  baby chicks.  six of them :)  i have somewhat been opposed to chickens before, but my only opposition was that i did not want to have them in my backyard.  something about that screams redneck to me.  but that's just because we have such a small backyard right now that it just would be a bad scenario.  but in the future when we have a little house on a big piece of land, i'll welcome my baby chickens to live in my back yard.

so we set them up in a box, with their feed, and hot lamp, and water.  they are so sweet.  i really love them.  they sleep a lot, and they snuggle.  they all lay on top of each other.  and every time jonathan touches them i make him wash his hand.  ocd.

so that's our surprise.  and we're excited.  have a good day.  cock a doodle doo. 

tunes for tuesday

there are different things that come from songs.  some can be sad (which i hate).  i rarely listen to sad songs.  that's depressing and i don't like to do that.  it's like talking about funerals.  no thanks.

some songs have a good beat and make you want to dance.  i like those.  especially when i'm walking at work and no one's around and i can dougie.  or something.

some songs remind me of things.  like cupid shuffle.  immediately think of my niece.  or american honey.  also my  niece.  anyways.  songs can remind you of things or people or memories.  i like those types.

other songs are a bit risque.  and i love those kind.  a lot.  not the rap songs that are distastefully risque.  well i like some of those too.  confession.  but some songs are just like bow chicka wow wow.  

marvin gaye for instance.  most of his songs are bow chicka wow wow.  but i have a really good one of this kind and i thought i'd share.  

lee dewyze was on american idol, and won.  he was so great.  though crystal bowersox (2nd place) was better.  however, he sang one song that you should sing too.  so here it is.  enjoy it.  oww oww.

beast of burden

marriage book

i am in a bible study with some really great girls.  we're all recently married or getting married soon (me).  they've been such a joy to be around and bounce questions off of and laugh with and talk about the Word.

we started a new bible study book this week, and i'm pretty crazy about it.

it's called "when sinners say i do" by dave harvey.  it's really awesome.  the jist of it is that in a married relationship, or dating relationship even, the two people are both sinners and we have to recognize that first and foremost.  if we begin to recognize ourselves as the worst of sinners (as paul does) then we'll be the most aware of grace - both for ourselves and for our spouses.

i've learned so much from it already, and i'd recommend it to any married, nearly married, or seriously dating couple.  it's got a lot of great perspective on a Christian marriage and how to serve God first.

go buy it.  really.  you'll love it.  and so will your spouse when you treat them like sugar :)

date night

last night was friday.  it was also date night.  i love it :).  jonathan texted me and asked if he could surprise me for our date last night.  i texted back and said sure can i have options?  :)

he knows me too well.  he called me and had three options.  three different options.  because some nights i feel like going out and some nights i feel like staying in.  some nights i feel like dressing up.  and some nights i feel like wearing sweat pants.  most nights i feel like eating though.  so that's usually a safe bet.

so my choices were:

1.  get dressed up and go to jimmy v's (one time he took me there and i felt sick so we had to leave and never got to eat).  then go to goodberrys, and then back home to watch a movie.

2.  go to el dorados for mexican.  then go use our coupons at krispy kreme that were expiring soon.  then go back home and watch a movie.

3.  go to a place in cary we've never been before called abbey road.  he told me they specialize in burgers.  then we'd go home and make dessert and watch a movie.

sooo which do you think i chose?  did i feel like dressing up and eatin big, dressin down and eating something to help with digestion, or going to a new place and eating hamburgers?

i chose this option:

el dorados is so good!  this is our queso, salsa, and empty chip basket.  yes that was our second basket of chips.  i'm on a strict diet for the wedding if you can't tell :)

then we headed here:

jonathan got two glazed, and i got a raspberry filled and a glazed.  we both got coffee...he got regular and i got decaf.  i didn't feel like shaking all night.

that's my fiance being a little silly and dipping his donuts in his coffee.  this is one of those things that i would laugh at him for and then he'd tell me that "everyone does that."  he sometimes lives in his own world.  but that's okay i'll join him there :)

after donuts we headed home because i am now an old almost married lady who gets tired at 8:30.  saddy.  it was a really great date night though.  we laughed really hard several times.  he looked at me like "ohh man did you just say that?"  it was great really.  heyyy boo let's get married in 5 weeks, what you think?

itunes tuesday

i had the chance to go walk today.  i really love walking out at sas.  it's so pretty there, and i can really just stop from everything else and notice God in EVERYTHING.  i love it.  

like today i came across a few of those dandelions and just felt like they were planted for me to see.  and the daffodils of course - i love them.  its just so easy to be IN God when i'm out there.

on top of that i had my ipod today.  yes, i love it.  somehow some extra songs i never downloaded got added to my ipod when i synced my ipod on my computer.  very weird.  for instance a spanish song came on.  hmm...definitely didn't put that on.  then some symphony music came on.  i kept waiting for the words.  they didn't come.

but i had a surprise song that i didn't download that i heard today and i LOVED it.  so i thought i'd share. i hope you enjoy!

needtobreathe - lay em down

it's so wonderful.  go check it out.  then lay em down. 

bachelorette weekend

this past weekend i had my bachelorette weekend.  i have been m i a on posting on the blog..well because wedding things have taken over my life.  dear engaged friends, if you ever feel like you've pretty much got everything planned and you're not doing anything for the wedding..you should be scared.  because its hiding and will get you about 2 months before the wedding.

sorry for the side note.

so with that said i went to the beach with my bridal girls this weekend.  gloria, my maid of honor, planned the whole weekend for us.  it was seriously a blast.  it was exactly what i needed in the midst of a chaotic two weeks.  we didn't talk wedding the whole time.  well we talked about some aspects of the wedding day/night...sorry.  back to what i was saying.

friday night we drove down to myrtle and stayed at two of my bridesmaids' beach house.  we had mrs hardy's spaghetti which is better than any restaurant ever.  seriously.  then we watched some tv and just relaxed...went to bed early like old ladies.  

saturday we did some shopping.  i found my rehearsal dinner dress.  and my honeymoon dress.  woops, just kiddin.  i probably heard "stacey just try it on" a good fifteen times this weekend.  i placed my fashion trust in them and left my own inhibitions for the weekend.

after an exhausting day of shopping we went and got our nailsss did.  it was a quaint little place, very cute.  there were two caucasian (pc) men and then a lady (non caucasian) that ran the place.  the owner tried to get me to drink shots repeatedly.  which i did not do. the white guy doing my toes lipped the rap song words while throwing my legs out of joint...just kidding the pedicure was AWESOME.  it was super relaxing and a blast to be with the girls, reading magazines, laughing, telling secrets while the pedicure-ists weren't looking.  it was great.

we finished off the night at california dreaming, and then back to the house.  for games.  games.  yes.  by gloria none the less.  we laughed til we cried.  i took pictures...probably won't post them.  and laughed some more.  

it was such a fantastic weekend.  i'm so blessed to have the girls i love in my wedding.  i'm definitely a girl for friendships, and i love the ones God gave me.

great weekend.  i'm off to take a bath.  

tuesday tunes

i decided i want to have some more structure to my blogs - well somewhat.  so i've decided that on tuesdays i'm going to do the same thing each week.

i really love music.  i have zero musical ability, but i love to listen to music.  i love to find new artists that are a bit different than the norm.  and i also love music that every other american loves too.  so tuesdays are tuesdays tunes.

this week i downloaded a few new tunes on my itunes.  you should check them out

Sugarland - Little Miss

~ theres just something simple about this song that i like.

Kenny Chesney -Somewhere with You

~kenny gets a little reggae with this one, and i like it.  a lot.

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Live Forever

~i frequently buy jonathan goji berry snapples because they are supposed to give "immunity" so he'll live forever.  it makes him laugh.  this new "live forever" on the someday album is so so good.  this is the old version in the link above. i like the new one better, so buy that one.

lastly.  i broke down and downloaded teach me how to dougie.  the clean version mind you.  then my brother showed me a youtube video i should share with you related to dougie-ing.  in the street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-8IrVQN8rQ

hahahahahahaha.  he's okay.  so it can be funny.

k y'all have a good day.  listen to my rhymes.